• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

Fifteen-year-old Kyle Evans has been a jock for years—a triple-threat basketball player who can dribble, pass or shoot with considerable skill.

But once he decides to try out for the school musical production at Sainsbury High, Kyle finds there is much more to life than hightops and hookshots. Conflicting priorities cause problems between Kyle and his coaches, teachers, teammates and friends. And when his buddy Lukas becomes the target of homophobic hatred, Kyle is left with some difficult choices to make.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Jeff Rud's profile page

• Commended, American Library Association (ALA) Rainbow Book List
• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens
• Commended, Resource Links, The Year's Best Books

Jeff Rud was a sportswriter and columnist at various newspapers in Canada for twenty years. He is now a political reporter for the Victoria Times Colonist and the author of numerous sports-related books, including High and Inside, In the Paint and First and Ten, all published by Orca.

Rated "excellent"

Resource Links